John knight



J. KNIGHT.

STATION INDICATOR.

Patented Sept. 4, 1888..

(No Model.)

N. PETERS. Phawulhcgmphur. wn=bngzm D. C.

'Unirse Srnrns ninna rtree.,

JOHN KNIGHT, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PACIFIC INDICATOR COMPANY, OF CALIFORNIA.

STATlONINDlCATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,980, dated September 4, 1888.

Application filed May 4, IESS. Serial No. 272,834. (No model.)

shaft. Upon the shaft of the upper roller, C, View. This gives an opportunity for printing @o is fixed a spioclret-pniley,c, and upon the the naines of streets or stations on one side 9o shaft of the lower roller, l), is fixed a sprocketand any display matter on the other. pulley, d, and an endless chain, F, extends be- Having thus described my in vention,whatl tween and connects these sprocket-pulleys. claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Thi's is the general arrangement of parts as Patent, is-

.5 heretofore constructed. l. In a stationindicator, drums or rollers 95 Mounted about the center of the box is the from and on which the indicating-ribbon nndrive-shaft g, having upon its end outside of winds and winds successively, in combination thebox a sprocket-pulley, g', upon which a with a spring holding baci; on one of the chain, g`, operates, which said chain may prodrums or rollers, whereby the ribbon is kept o oecd to any suitable source of power, hand or taut,and an independentpoweredrunibetween rco To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that l, JOHN KNIGHT, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Station-Indicators; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the sanne.

My invention relates to the class of indicators for use in the cars of street and other railways for the purpose of designating successive streets or stations and presenting to view at the saine time any suitable advertising or display mattei'.

My invention consists, in connection with the main drum or rollers of the indicating or display ribbon, of the novel arrangement of the drivingdruin and the course or direction of the ribbon, all of which I shall hereinafter fully describe.

The object of my invention is to drive the ribbon independently of the main drums or rollers upon which it winds and from which it unwinds, and to direct its course in suitable manner.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the figure is a vertical section of my indicator.

A is the box or casing, designed to be set up in the ear in convenient position. It has the front window, a, through which the ribbon B may be observed. Fixed on a shaft, e, jour-y naled in the upper portion of the box, is adruni or roller, C.

A shaft, d, is journaled in the lower portion of the box, and upon the shaft is fitted the lower druni or roller, D, which is made with an open center, in which a coiled spring, E, is seated, one end of the spring being attached to the drum or rollerand the other cud to the otherwise. Upon the drive-shaft within the box is the driving-drum G.

The following is the course of the ribbon B: It is attached at its upper end to the upper drum or roller, C, thence passing to and around a guide-roller, x, thence up behind the window a to and around the guidelroller x',thence to and back of the upper roller, C, thence to and around a guide-roller, fr?, thence to and around the drive-drum G, thence over the guide-roller and down behind the window a to the guide-roller and thence up to its point of attachment to the lower roller, D. To begin the operation, before the ribbon is attached to the lower drum or roller, D, said roller is turned forward, so as to fully wind up the spring E. Then the ribbon is attached. New, when started, the roller I) moves back and the tension of the spring E is directed to keeping the ribbon taut as it winds up on roller D, thus giving it the proper appearance, and also enabling the drurn G to drive it. The chain-connection F between the upper and lower shafts serves to effect the rotation of the drums accurately in unison, so that neither has any other function than that of winding and unwinding the ribbon, no driving being effected by them. Vhen the ribbon is winding in the opposite direction, the winding up of the spring keeps it taut. Thus the whole driving is done by the independent druln G, and without coming in contact directly or in directly with the rollers C D.

It will be observed that in the course which the ribbon takes provision is made for exposing both sides of it, for above the guide-rollers .r one side of the ribbon is presented, and below the guide-roller fc the other side is in the upper and lower ribbon-drums for driving the ribbon, substantially as herein described.

2. In a station-indicator, an upper and a. lower drum or roller for receiving and paying out the ribbon, in combination with an independent endless belt or chain connection between them, whereby they operate in-unison, and an independent power-drumintermediate of the ribbon-holding drums for driving the ribbon, substantially as herein described.

3. In astation-indicator, the upper or lower drums or rollers and the indicatingribbon between them, in combination with the pulleys on the shafts of the drums or rollers,the chain connecting them, and the independent powerdrum on a shaft intermediate o1' the ribbonholding drums for driving the ribbon, substantially as herein described.

4. In a station-indicator, the upper drum or roller, the lower drum or roller having an open center, the lower shaft, and the spiral spring connecting` the lower drum or roller with the lower shaft, and the indicating-ribbon connected with both drums or rollers, in combination with the independent chain conmeeting the shafts of the drums or rollers and the independent power-drum intermediate of the ribbon-drums for driving the ribbon, substantially as herein described.

5. A station-indicator comprising the box having the window a and the several guiderollers, as described, the upper drum or roller, O, and the lower drum or roller, D, andspring controlling it, the pulleys on the shafts of the drums or rollers and chain connecting them, the independent driving-drum G between the ribbon-holding` drums, and the indicating-ribbon B, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hund.

JOHN KNIGHT. Vitnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, H. C. LEE. 

